There’s already buzz about what could be a brilliant 2018-19 free agent class, John Harper of the New York Daily News writes. That year’s market could include Bryce Harper, Josh Donaldson, Andrew McCutchen, Dallas Keuchel, Jose Fernandez, Matt Harvey and Manny Machado. Also, Clayton Kershaw, David Price and Jason Heyward will have opt-out clauses. Of course, some of that first group of players could sign extensions, and there’s no telling if they’ll be as valuable then as they are now, but that looks like a stunning amount of talent. Harper notes that many of the Yankees‘ bigger contracts will have expired by then, and he quotes an executive suggesting the Yanks could potentially use the intervening years to get under the luxury tax threshold and throw their weight around in 2018-19. Here’s more from around baseball.
- A number of key free agents remain unsigned, and FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal cites a number of reasons why. The qualifying offer is one factor, but another is that some traditionally free-spending teams (including the Yankees, Angels, Dodgers and Rangers) have not spent heavily. The trade market is another element, particularly on the outfield and starting pitching markets. Of course, top free agents like Yoenis Cespedes and Justin Upton are highly unlikely to remain unsigned in a couple months, and Rosenthal points out that, for example, Max Scherzer and James Shields signed fairly late in last winter’s offseason. But he also proposes a couple of outside-the-box ideas to get unexpected teams involved in the market, including teams with protected draft picks signing top free agents and then trading them to teams without protected picks, thus somewhat circumventing the qualifying offer system.
- Opt-out clauses have become increasingly trendy in contracts for top free agents, notes Jamal Collier of Sports On Earth. Price’s contract contains an opt-out after 2018, and Heyward’s allows him to opt out that year or (under certain circumstances) after 2019. Johnny Cueto‘s deal allows him to opt out after two years. Zack Greinke, of course, entered free agency after exercising an opt-out in his previous deal. Most players who have received out clauses in recent years (including Greinke, Alex Rodriguez, C.C. Sabathia, and several others) have exercised them, reflecting the degree to which revenues have grown within baseball.
Chris young? Rich Hill? Ryan Madson? Tony Sipp? None of them were guaranteed opt outs, as the post suggests
Note Charlie said “top” free agents. None of those guys you mentioned are in that class, or would have the leverage to negotiate an opt out.
They were talking about from the list of top 50 free agents
Every player I listed was in the top 50 (albeit in the 40’s) precision in wording is important
Oh well besides Madson the other two won’t get them anyways they are irrelevant
Wow….well spotted and thanks for clearing that up Kevin!!!
In fact, out of the top 50 that have signed:
Greinke
Zimmermann
Samardzija
Zobrist
Lackey
Iwakuma
Estrada
Happ
O’Day
Soria
Cabrera
Madson
Kelley
Young
Sipp
Hill
all don’t have opt-outs in their deals, and all come in the top 50. I’ve probably even overlooked some. It was an odd remark for sure to include in this write-up.
I’m not sure what Charlie meant, but I don’t think he meant to suggest that all those guys had opt outs. I’d edit it myself but I’m on the road, so I’m going to pass it on and I’m sure it will be edited shortly.
I think he meant to say out of the top 5 of your top 50 list, or else out of the top 10 but forgot Zimmermann. Must’ve been something like that because he was clearly trying to make a point along those lines, how opt outs are becoming almost de rigueur amongst top free agents, but the way he worded it was insanely inaccurate and sillily extended to middle relievers.
The Royals should go pick up Shane Victorino for 1 year and trade for Brett Gardner. Those are gritty players who fit the mold. I suggest they then look at picking up Cliff Lee (if he looks solid) on a 1 year contract. I also do like Kazmir, if they can sign him within the budget. Lastly, signing Chris Johnson would offer a versatile replacement for Zobrist, although with less power and maybe a small decrease in offense – great bench player or replacement for rest or injury at 1B, 3B, or OF.
Sign and trade deals are illegal under the current CBA.
“It would be a violation of the Basic Agreement,” one MLB official said. “Sign and trade deals would have to be negotiated with the Players Association in the next bargaining agreement.”
This might be nit-picky but Jordan Zimmermann has a no trade clause but not an opt out.
Nor Zobrist.
By that time pablo and hanley will be off the books for boston and they should hopefully have price opt out at that point then they should get mcutchen keuchel and harvey
Ummmmm
Phillies will rule the 2018 FA season.
Phillies will suck until 2021
Dodgers will extend Clayton kershaw
Harper will likely be the surest bet to hit FA, as he seems too douchey to not go after a record-breaking FA contract. Donaldson and Fernandez I don’t see getting extended either, but the rest of them I could see signing extensions so who knows how good the FA class will actually look by then.
I miss the days when there were guys like Chipper and Jeter, who valued team loyalty.